General Orientation Questions

All university financial accounts for first-year and transfer students will automatically be charged the $180 Orientation fee. The fee covers all Orientation programs, preparation and materials. You do not have to pay any Orientation fee at this time; however, if you have an installment payment plan through Madison Money Manager, you should make sure your annual budget includes this charge. All students are charged the Orientation fee whether or not you choose to attend Orientation programming.

Orientation will start mailing First-Year One Books at the beginning of April to all first-year students who have paid their tuition deposit. As deposits are received and post to students' accounts, One Books will continue to be mailed on a rolling basis. If you do not receive a One Book by May 15th, please contact our office at orientation@jmu.edu or 540-568-1787. Please allow 7-14 days delivery time after you have paid your tuition deposit.

Orientation will start mailing TransferOne Books beginning in April to transfer students admitted for the summer and fall terms. If you do not receive a Transfer One Book by May 1, please contact our office at orientation@jmu.edu or phone 540-568-1787.

Log in to the One Book website to complete the "My Orientation Reservation" step. During this step you will be given the option to declare your major and select a date based on your declared major. Once you complete the remainder of the tasks on the reservation task list and continue to the My Reservation status, you should see: "Your reservation is now complete! Please print a copy for your records." Please attend Orientation on your scheduled day to ensure you receive the best possible experience.

First-Year students: Summer Springboard programming is specific to your major. We also have specific days for students that have not declared a major. Please refer to the One Book website for these dates.

Transfer Students: Transfer Summer Springboard is provided for students admitted for summer and fall terms. December Transfer Orientation is programming specific to transfer students admitted for the spring term. Please refer to the Orientation website for transfer students and click the appropriate link on the left for your admit term.

Parents and/or family members are welcome and encouraged to attend Orientation, even if the student cannot attend. However, parents and/or family members will not be able to finalize class schedules for the student nor meet with an advisor. You may add these guests on the "My Orientation Reservation" step on the One Book website, and should also send Orientation a message noting the day they will be attending. Use the “Send a Message” tab at the top of your One Book steps.

We have compiled a directory of local hotels that may offer discounted rates for families attending Orientation. Be sure to mention JMU Orientation when making your reservations. Some restrictions may apply.

Questions about Residence Life/Move-in

First-Year Students: The One Book is full of information you need to know about Residence Life including completing your Housing Contract, Learning Communities, descriptions of each residential area on campus, shopping tips, and necessities for residential living.

Transfer Students: After you log in to complete your Transfer One Book steps, please refer to the “Begin your Housing Search” step. This information is specific for summer and fall housing both on-campus and off-campus.

First-Year Students: Click on the "Housing Assignment & Roommate Notification" step on the One Book website in early August to determine your assigned move-in date. You should also receive an email from ORL with specific instructions. First-Year students are scheduled to move in on either Tuesday or Wednesday of the week prior to the first day of class.

Transfer Students: Please follow the instructions in the email correspondence that you receive from ORL once your application has been approved.

Questions about Meal Plans

First-Year Students: All incoming freshmen are able to select an on-campus meal plan when they sign their housing contract. Please follow instructions on the "View or Change Your Meal Plan" step if you need to make changes.

Transfer Students: Transfer students select an on-campus meal plan when they sign their housing application.

Commuters (first-year or transfer): Commuter students may purchase a meal plan each semester and do not have the ability to change their meal plan choice through MyMadison.

First-Year Students: Yes. Click on the "View or Change Your Meal Plan" link on The One Book website. Once the bills are generated you will have to wait until the second through fourth week of school to change your current meal plan. If you have signed housing contracts for future semesters, you can change your future meal plans in MyMadison.

Note: Changing your meal plan for the fall semester will not automatically change your meal plan for the spring semester. You must change both to have the same meal plan for both fall and spring.

Transfer Students: Yes, you may change your meal plan in MyMadison for a limited time at the beginning of the semester.

Other Questions

First-Year Students: Students will receive an email from their advisor one week prior to scheduled enrollment appointments. The advisor will give students contact information so he or she can be of service during class enrollment. Students will then meet with their advisor at Summer Springboard to confirm class schedules. An advisor may be reassigned without notice to accommodate change of major requests. Students may confirm their current advisor in the Student Center of MyMadison.

Transfer Students: Students admitted for spring semester will be assigned an advisor during December Transfer Orientation. Students admitted for the summer semester will be directed to contact a specific advisor within the student’s declared major department for summer classes only. Students admitted for the fall semester (includes students admitted for the summer and/or fall semester) will be assigned an advisor based on their declared major, upon completion of the "My Orientation Reservation" step on the Transfer One Book ﻿website.